Only one vehicle passed her before she came within sight of the
streets; it was a carriage and pair, and she recognised the coachman of
a family who lived towards Rickstead. Quarrier was doubtless still in
the town, but to find him might be difficult. Perhaps she had better go
to his house and despatch a servant in search of him. But that was away
on the other side of Polterham, and in the meantime he might be
starting for Pear-tree Cottage. The polling was long since over; would
he linger with his friends at the committee room?
Yet she must go to the house first of all; there was a reason for it
which only now occurred to her.
The main thoroughfares, usually silent and forsaken at this hour, were
alive with streams of pedestrians, with groups of argumentative
electors, with noisy troops of lads and girls who occasionally amused
themselves with throwing mud at some unpopular person, or even breaking
a window and rushing off with yells into the darkness of byways.
Public-houses were doing a brisk trade, not without pugilism for the
entertainment of such as lounged about the doors. For these sights and
sounds Mrs. Wade had no attention, but frequently her ear was smitten
with the name "Quarrier," spoken or roared by partisan or adversary.
Her way led her through the open place where stood the Town Hall; here
had gathered some hundreds of people, waiting for the result of the
poll. As she hurried along the ragged edge of the crowd, a voice from
somewhere close at hand checked her.
"If you imagine that Quarrier will do more for the people than any
other politician, you will find yourselves mistaken. Party politics are
no good--no good at all. You working men ought to have the sense to
form a party of your own."
It was Northway, addressing a cluster of mill-hands, and evidently
posing as one of a superior class who deigned to give them
disinterested advice. She listened for a minute longer, but heard
nothing that could excite her alarm.
When she reached the house it was a quarter to ten. This part of the
town lay in obscurity and quietness; not a shout sounded in her hearing.
Mr. Quarrier had not been at home since early in the afternoon.
"He must be found at once," said Mrs. Wade, adding quickly, "I suppose
Mrs. Quarrier hasn't come?"
The servant gave a surprised negative.
"You must please send some one to find Mr. Quarrier, without a moment's
delay. I will come in and wait."
The coachman happened to be in the kitchen. Mrs. Wade had him summoned,
and despatched him for his master. Though her limbs shook with fatigue,
she could not remain seated for more than a few minutes at a time; she
kept the drawing-room door open, and kept going out to listen. Her
suspense lasted for more than half an hour; then at length she heard a
cab rattle up the drive, and in another moment Quarrier stood before
her. This was the second time within a few days that her face had been
of ill omen to him; he frowned an anxious inquiry.
"You haven't seen Lilian?" she began.
"Seen her?"
"She has gone--left the cottage--I can't find her."
"Gone? When did she go?"
"I have bad news for you. Northway has come back; he called at the
cottage about seven o'clock. I didn't let him know Lilian was there,
and soon got rid of him; he said he would have to see you again. Lilian
was dreadfully agitated, and when I happened to leave the room, she
went out--disappeared--I thought she must have come home "----
"What do the servants say?"
"They haven't seen her."
"But she may have gone to Mary's?"
Arrested in the full flow of his jubilant spirits by this extraordinary
announcement, Denzil could not admit grave alarm. If Lilian had fled
from the proximity of her pursuer, she must of course have taken refuge
with some friend.
"Let us go to the Liversedges'," he exclaimed. "I have a cab"----
"Stop, Mr. Quarrier.--I haven't told you the worst. She ran from the
house just as she was, without her hat"----
"What do you mean? Why should she----?"
"She was in a dreadful state. I had done my best to soothe her. I was
just going to send for you. My servant saw her run out from the
sitting-room into the garden, and the gate wasn't opened--she must have
gone the back way--into the fields."
"Into the fields----?"
He stared at her with a look of gathering horror, and his tongue failed
him.
"I followed that way. I searched everywhere. I went a long way over
towards"----
She broke off, quivering from head to foot.
"But she _must_ have gone somewhere for refuge--to some one's house."
"I hope so! Oh, I hope so!"
Her voice choked; tears started from her eyes.
"What do you fear? Tell me at once, plainly!"
She caught his hand, and replied with sobs of anguish.
"Why should she have gone into the fields?--without anything on her
head--into the fields that lead over to"----
"To--you don't mean to--the water?"
Still clinging to his hand, she sobbed, tried to utter words of denial,
then again of fear. For the instant Denzil was paralyzed, but rapidly
he released himself, and in a voice of command bade her follow. They
entered the cab and were driven towards the Town Hall.
"Did you go to the water," he asked, "and look about there?"
"Yes," she answered, "I did.--I could see nothing."
As they drew near, a roar of triumphant voices became audible;
presently they were in the midst of the clamour, and with difficulty
their vehicle made its way through a shouting multitude. It stopped at
length by the public building, and Quarrier alighted. At once he was
recognized. There rose yells of "Quarrier for ever!" Men pressed upon
him, wanted to shake hands with him, bellowed congratulations in his
ear. Heedless, he rushed on, and was fortunate enough to find very
quickly the man he sought, his brother-in-law.
"Toby!" he whispered, drawing him aside, "we have lost Lilian! She may
be at your house; come with us!"
Voiceless with astonishment, Mr. Liversedge followed, seated himself in
the cab. Five minutes brought them to his house.
"Go in and ask," said Quarrier.
Toby returned in a moment, followed by his wife.
"She hasn't been here. What the deuce does it all mean? I can't
understand you. Why, where should she have gone?"
Again Denzil drew him aside.
"Get a boatman, with lights and drags, and row round as fast as
possible to Bale Water!"
"Good heavens! What are you talking about?"
"Do as I tell you, without a minute's delay! Take this cab. I shall be
there long before you."
Mrs. Liversedge was talking with Mrs. Wade, who would say nothing but
that Lilian had disappeared. At Denzil's bidding the cab was
transferred to Toby, who, after whispering with his wife, was driven
quickly away. Quarrier refused to enter the house.
"We shall find another cab near the Town Hall," he said to Mrs. Wade.
"Good-night, Molly! I can't talk to you now."
The two hastened off. When they were among the people again, Mrs. Wade
caught sentences that told her the issue of the day. "Majority of over
six hundred!--Well done, Quarrier!--Quarrier for ever!" Without
exchanging a word, they gained the spot where one or two cabs still
waited, and were soon speeding along the Rickstead Road.
"She may be at the cottage," was all Denzil said on the way.
But no; Lilian was not at the cottage. Quarrier stood in the porch,
looking about him as if he imagined that the lost one might be hiding
somewhere near.
"I shall go--over there," he said. "It will take a long time."
"What?"----
"Liversedge is rowing round, with drags.--Go in and wait.--You may be
wrong."
"I didn't say I _thought_ it! It was only a fear--a dreadful
possibility."
Again she burst into tears.
"Go in and rest, Mrs. Wade," he said, more gently. "You shall know--if
anything"----
And, with a look of unutterable misery, he turned away.
Lilian might have taken refuge somewhere in the fields. It seemed a
wild unlikelihood, but he durst not give up hope. Though his desire was
to reach the waterside as quickly as possible, he searched on either
hand as he went by the path, and once or twice he called in a loud
voice "Lilian!" The night was darker now than when Mrs. Wade had passed
through the neighbouring field; clouds had begun to spread, and only
northwards was there a space of starry brilliance.
He came in sight of the trees along the bank, and proceeded at a
quicker step, again calling Lilian's name more loudly. Only the
soughing wind replied to him.
The nearest part of the water was that where it was deepest, where the
high bank had a railing; the spot where Mrs. Wade and Lilian had stood
together on their first friendly walk. Denzil went near, leaned across
the rail, and looked down into featureless gloom. Not a sound beneath.
He walked hither and thither, often calling and standing still to
listen. The whole sky was now obscured, and the wind grew keener.
Afraid of losing himself, he returned to the high bank and there
waited, his eyes fixed in the direction whence the boat must come. The
row along the river Bale from Polterham would take more than an hour.
As he stood sunk in desperate thoughts, a hand touched him. He turned
round, exclaiming "Lilian!"
"It is I," answered Mrs. Wade's voice.
"Why have you come? What good can you do here?"
"Don't be angry with me!" she implored. "I couldn't stay at home--I
couldn't!"
"I don't mean to speak angrily.--Think," he added, in low shaken voice,
"if that poor girl is lying"----
A sob broke off his sentence; he pointed down into the black water.
Mrs. Wade uttered no reply, but he heard the sound of her weeping.
They stood thus for a long time, then Denzil raised his hand.
"Look! They are coming!"
There was a spot of light far off, moving slowly.
"I can hear the oars," he added presently.
It was in a lull of the soughing wind. A minute after there came a
shout from far across the black surface. Denzil replied to it, and so
at length the boat drew near.
Mr. Liversedge stood up, and Quarrier talked with him in brief, grave
sentences. Then a second lantern was lighted by the boatman, and
presently the dragging began.
Wrapped in a long cloak, Mrs. Wade stood at a distance, out of sight of
the water, but able to watch Denzil. When cold and weariness all but
overcame her, she first leaned against the trunk of a tree, then
crouched there on the ground. For how long, she had no idea. A little
rain fell, and afterwards the sky showed signs of clearing; stars were
again visible here and there. She had sunk into a half-unconscious
state, when Quarrier's voice spoke to her.
"You must go home," he said, hoarsely. "It's over."
She started up.
"Have they found"----
"Yes.--Go home at once."
He turned away, and she hurried from the spot with bowed head.